County Record: Digital Edition

Penny Record: Digital Edition

Non-trad. activities attract next generation

The youth of today have some excellent opportunities to enjoy both traditional and non traditional hunting and fishing. Almost every hunter recalls their first hunt with a fond appreciation of the event.

Many folks start out in a deer blind or an oak flat chasing squirrel.

Some are content to sit at the edge of stock tank with a cane pole and bobber in search of perch or blue gill.

Both of these events bring back many wonderful memories and that heritage is something we can share with the sportsmen of tomorrow.

In today’s world it has become increasingly more difficult to find time and places to pursue traditional outdoor activities so many anglers and hunters alike have decided to think outside the box. In the past most folks were limited to higher profile game like deer, ducks, bass and others. Today there is a whole different realm from which to choose from and you can certainly find whatever it takes to scratch your itch.

Many outfitters and guides have resorted to running specialty hunts for other species and one of the fastest growing hunts out there is for alligators.

Alligator hunts are as much about scouting and determining patterns as anything if you want to be successful. One such outfitter is Larry Robinson of Coastal Wings in Bay City and he really takes a personal interest in the younger sportsmen. “Young hunters and fishermen are our future and we should not forget that,” said Robinson. “We need to keep them involved because without them our sports will become a memory.”

Robinson oversees close to 40,000 acres along the gulf coast so he has plenty of places to take young hunters and fishermen in order to ensure success. The alligator hunts have become increasingly popular due to fact that you never know how big one of these pre-historic reptiles will get. Many hunters enjoy the whole experience and the excitement that comes with tangling a critter that will actually bite back instead of run away or fly off.

“We have taken some really large gators over the past several years and we have seen others that were just as big if not bigger hanging around the marsh” said Robinson. “The kids just love to see how big they are and I guess I can’t blame them for that because everyone wants a giant,” he added.

The allure of hunting other animals is exciting and different and those are the kinds of things that will help recruit more young outdoorsmen to the sport. Wide-open activities where you don’t have to be still or super quiet make it easier for kids to enjoy themselves and not worry about doing something that will spoil their chances of success

true measure of the trip cannot be judged by how many animals you killed or how many fish you caught but instead by the amount fun you had and memories you made. Once we all understand that fact everything else is easy.

With only a few weeks of school left many young hunters and fishermen are already thinking about what this summer will bring as far as the outdoors are concerned. Activities that are associated with hunting and fishing that are tailored to the younger generation can offer up some great opportunities to share some much needed time as a family or a group. A simple activity such as canoe trip down Village Creek or even crabbing from a local pier can be just the kind of thing to jump start a young persons love for the outdoors. Keep that in mind when you plan an activity, the focus is the young person and introducing them to a whole new wonderful world.